Custom Design Services Details & Policies

Timelines 

• It takes 1-3 weeks to create a custom design concept. 
• It takes 4-6 weeks to produce a custom design after the concept is finalized. 
• If your project involves multiple designs, please expect an extended timeline. 
• Demand for our work is high. Our staff is highly skilled, professional and intentionally small. We cannot accept rush projects.
• Please make an appointment and maintain ongoing communications with us so that we can best execute your project, be efficient in the process and meet the desired timeline. 

Payments

• The design concept will be informed by your ideas and photos. We will create a hand drawn sketch of your design and work with you to refine the details. 
• After aligning on the hand drawn sketch, a 50% deposit is required to begin crafting your piece. After the deposit, we will create a CAD & a wax model. We will share photos with you before casting the metal piece. This is the last opportunity to make design changes. 
• The 50% deposit is applied toward total project cost and is non-refundable after we present you with your design.
• The final 50% of payment is due upon completion. We accept cash, credit card or check. We do not offer financing or payment plans.
• Custom designs are non-refundable. We will consider buying back stones at a discounted rate. If we do not meet your expectations, we will gladly work with you to revise the design. Reworking pieces is subject to additional fees. 

Pricing

• Custom designs start at $650. 
• Pricing is determined by metal type and weight, number of stones, stone size and quality, types of setting, and labor required: rendering, molding, wax modeling, casting, polishing, torch soldering, laser soldering, milgraining and engraving, etc. 
• We detail pricing into specific categories to provide you with a full understanding of the cost. 
• Pricing is reflective of many factors including, but not limited to: The time and expertise involved in developing a custom luxury design. The utilization of our office, workshops, professional tools and technology. The partnership with our jewelers, who are highly skilled experts and wonderful people who we pay fairly. The partnerships across the industry, including gemstone suppliers, gemcutters, vendors, etc. who we pay fairly.
• Madberet creates custom, luxury quality jewelry. We do not cut corners. We do not create for the masses. 
• Please consider the information above before negotiating with us on your custom design. We keep our company and operations intentionally lean to offer fair pricing. Quoted prices are a representation of the high quality materials and craftsmanship that are required to make each piece of fine jewelry. Because of this, we have very limited flexibility on pricing. 

Designs

• We are open minded and have worked in many different styles of jewelry, but we need to have a general idea of your idea before we lay out a design. This can include pictures, sketches, or other jewelry that will serve as a starting point for your custom design. We may advise you against design aspects or overall design based on its viability.
• Madberet creates luxury jewelry. This includes precious metals; solid gold and platinum. It includes high-quality precious and semi-precious stones. We do not fabricate, work on, or repair: silver, gold plated, gold filled, base metal, stainless steel, tungsten, titanium, cobalt, brass, wood, or glass.
• We will not copy another designer's work and will not design something we deem structurally unsound.
• Custom designs are flexible and we are open minded to any changes you may want so long as they are structurally sound and communicated during the approval stages.
• Depending on the changes you request, there may be a change to the price of your piece. 

Sourcing gemstones and diamonds with Madberet 

• We work with expert gem suppliers and gem cutters to offer you high quality stones that best meet your design and pricing requirements. We do not keep an inventory of gemstones. This allows us to conduct individual gemstone searches for your design and allows us to offer fair pricing as a result of reduced inventory costs. 
• We prioritize jewelry education as a part of our process. We will explain everything about gemstone grading and characteristics. We bring forward options and explain characteristics and tradeoffs between gems. We advise you on balancing both quality and value in your selection.  

Resetting your gemstones and diamonds

• We will work with stones that you bring us, provided that they are not cracked or chipped and that they are the appropriate hardness for the type of piece you wish to have made.
• We will not use your diamonds or gemstones if they are under 2mm and you wish to have them channel, bead or pave set. We use our own highly calibrated stones to ensure uniformity, longevity and to meet our standards of quality. 
• If your diamonds or gemstones are being shipped to us, they need to be insured in the shipping process. This required documentation of the quality and value (an appraisal or an accredited certificate is best). It is your responsibility to know (and prove) what you are sending us. We will advise you on how to secure documentation and shipping insurance. Once we receive your package we will verify its contents and contact you. Your items are insured against loss or theft while they are in our possession.
• There is a risk that your gemstone or diamond could crack or break upon removal or setting. You assume this risk. We recommend having your pieces insured before we work on them.
• There is a charge to remove stones from old settings. Often stones crack or break upon removal. You assume this risk. We recommend having your pieces insured before we work on them.
• We use freshly alloyed, ethically sourced, mostly recycled gold and platinum for all of our designs. We will not re-use your gold. The process of reusing gold is complicated, the results are inferior, and the savings are negligible. We can recommend resources for selling your scrap gold. 
• After your piece is finished, we recommend you secure insurance. We will provide you with an appraisal if we provide your stones. If we used your stones, you can choose to purchase an appraisal for your piece. 

We appreciate your consideration and look forward to helping you create and maintain your custom jewelry through the years. With proper care and cleaning, your piece will last for generations.